When on-line is off limits: Innovative Corona-tailored health promotion program for Ultra-orthodox women – Chevruta L’Chaim

Ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) women have worse health outcomes and lower engagement in certain health behaviors compared with other Jewish women in Israel.  They are less likely to engage in exercise, eat fruits and vegetables, or receive regular blood pressure checks and are more likely to be overweight and obese.  In addition to these challenges, the pandemic and social distancing regulations have further impacted these women’s health behaviors and outcomes.  While women from other communities benefit from online health promotion opportunities during this pandemic, most of the Haredi community does not allow internet usage, presenting another obstacle to engaging in healthy living.a

Recognizing this pressing and currently unaddressed need, the Pollin center has designed and implemented Chevruta L’Chaim – an innovative program to provide Haredi women with the knowledge, motivation, and skills to engage in a healthy lifestyle while attending to Haredi women’s unique life circumstances and cultural/religious sensitivities.a

Chevruta L’Chaim empowers low SES Haredi women to take an active role in self-care and engage in physical activity, healthy eating, and stress management. It utilizes partner-based learning (which is familiar to these women from their husband’s chavruta-based learning), phone group support, professional education and guidance, peer problem solving, social learning, and written professional resources for long-term referral.  Through this program, women are paired with one another, sharing, supporting and motivating each other while engaging in active learning.a  

Each woman receives a Pollin Center culturally appropriate workbook consisting of 13 sessions covering nutrition, exercise, emotional eating, stress management, and the latest science in habit change. Designed by professionals and tailored to the Haredi community, this workbook provides practical methods for integrating health into one’s daily life.  Every week, each pair of women learns one session together on the phone and participates in a group phone-session lead by a dynamic health promotion professional. The phone sessions help maintain consistent workbook learning and provide an opportunity for sharing and problem solving- bringing the content to life. Women also receive a free pedometer to help motivate increased walking. Daily logging of behavior and personalized homework helps women integrate the material for maintenance of behavior change.a

Feedback from participants has been overwhelming: women report significant weight loss, improvement in daily food choices- even on Shabbat, and increased motivation to walk more. We look forward to sharing these women’s successes with you!a